


The Man Trap

by GeekCharming270



Series: Star Trek Original Series Rewrite [2]
Category: Star Trek, Star Trek: Alternate Original Series (Movies), Star Trek: The Original Series
Genre: M/M, Not Actually Unrequited Love, Original Series Rewrite, Pre-Slash, The Man Trap, Unrequited Love, episode rewrite
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-10-30
Updated: 2019-10-30
Packaged: 2021-01-13 00:48:57
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 9,167
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21235373
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/GeekCharming270/pseuds/GeekCharming270
Summary: Rewrite of the official first episode of the original series.The crew of the Enterprise is stalked by a shapeshifter who needs salt to survive.





	The Man Trap

“Captain's log. Stardate 1513.1. We are orbiting planet M-113. On board the _Enterprise_, Mr. Spock has the conn. On the planet are the ruins of an ancient and long dead civilization. Dr. McCoy and I are beaming down to the planet's surface. Our mission is to perform routine medical exams on archeologist Robert Crater and his wife, Nancy. Routine except for the fact that Nancy happens to be _that_ woman from McCoy's past,” Jim finished his log before turning to face his best friend.

“Really, Jim? That woman from my past?” The doctor asked him in exasperation. “She and I just dated for a few years. It's not like she was the one who divorced me and caused me to meet your sorry ass.”

“Awe come on Bones. You know I'm only messing around,” Jim replied with a smirk as they stepped onto the transporter pad.

“Jim, you just said that on an official report. Sometimes I still can't believe they let you be captain.”

“You don't really mean that. You love me being your captain.”

“Whatever. Let's just get this done with so I can get back to Sick Bay and away from you.”

All Jim could do was smile as he made sure their group of three was ready to beam down. When he was satisfied he looked to the Transporter Chief, “Energize.”

The planet's surface was red and barren of almost any vegetation. it looked like a veritable wasteland covered in red sand, dry brush, and ancient ruins. Not exactly what he would call exciting, but apparently Mr. and Mrs. Crater did. Grabbing some of the brush in one hand Jim went to hand it to Bones while they made their way towards where they were supposed to meet the Craters, “Here Bones, you can give these flowers to Mrs.Crater. A token of your undying affection.”

“Damn it, Jim! Don't make me give you numb tongue again.”

“Alright alright,” Jim conceded. “I was only trying to have a little fun. It's not every day you get to see an old girlfriend. Besides, I bet she's got some embarrassing stories about you and I can't wait to hear them.”

“My god, you really are an infant,” Bones grumbled as they finally made it to their destination. "Doesn't seem like anyone's here."

“I'm sure they're around here somewhere. Not to mention you made us beam down ten minutes early,” Jim reminded him as he took in more of the landscape.

Not seeing anyone Jim led them into a large temple-like structure that played home to the Craters. Once inside Jim called out for its inhabitants to no avail. When he turned back to look at Bones he saw that the man looked a little nervous.

Putting away his playful manner and put a hand on his friend's shoulder, “Seriously, Bones, are you alright?”

The older man sighed before answering, “Yeah, a little. We walked out of each other's lives ten years ago. She married Crater and forgotten me for all I know. Of all the stupid ideas why did I let myself come down here? I should have let M’Benga do the exams.”

Jim could see affection and conflict in the doctor’s eyes and he couldn’t help but compare that to the way Bones said he looked at Spock. If what his friend said was true then whenever he looked at the Vulcan he was surprised that no one else knew that he was desperately in love with his first officer/best friend, but he respected him and their work too much to compromise it but trying to get with Spock. He didn’t want to tease his friend when he looked so upset so instead, he went over to the man and lowered his voice so that the crewman they had brought down couldn’t hear what he was saying, “Everything is going to be fine, Bones I promise.”

“Thanks, Jim,” he sighed. “It’s just that I really was in love with her when we were together. I almost married her instead of Jocelyn, but then Nancy met Crater. And I don’t think those feelings ever went away. Seeing her is either going to be amazing or painful.”

“You know I here for whatever you need,” Jim reassured him, putting a hand on his shoulder. “I’ll even ask Scotty for some of his moonshine and that Romulan Ale I know he’s not supposed to have.”

Bones barked out a laugh as he looked at the younger man in front of him, “Thanks, kid. You really are like a brother to me I hope you know that.”

Jim smiled and the air was filled with the sound of high-pitched singing. From outside came the voice’s owner holding some sort of artifact. To Jim, she was in her late 30's to early 40's with a light smattering of grey in her hair and smile lines on her face, but he could see why his friend was attracted her all those years ago, and probably still was.

“Leonard,” the woman smiled, setting down what she was holding. Affection once again filled the older man’s gaze and Jim felt a rush of happiness for his friend but made sure that he would be prepared to comfort his friend if something went wrong.

“Nancy,” the doctor smiled as she clasped his hand between hers.

“Let me look at you,” she smiled.

“You haven't aged a day.”

“Oh Len,” she batted her eyes at him before turning to see Jim.

Jim smiled at her as Bones introduced them, “This is Jim Kirk, captain of the _Enterprise_.”

“Mrs. Crater,” he said politely. “I've heard so much about you.”

“All good I hope,” she joked.

The blond just smirked back.

“And crewman Darnell,” Bones cut in to introduce the other man he had brought down with them to help with exams.

Nancy smiled at the crewman.

Darnell smiled back at her, “Hello ma’am.”

There was a weird look on his face so Jim decided to see if he was alright, “Something wrong, Darnell?”

“Excuse me, sir,” he righted himself somewhat. “But ma'am I swear you look exactly like a girl I left behind on Wrigley's Pleasure Planet.”

“Darnell!” McCoy almost yelled.

“I'm sorry sir. I didn't mean to — I mean, I know it's impossible, of course,” the crewman stuttered out apologetically.

“Why don't you step outside, Darnell,” Jim suggested in an attempt to deescalate the situation, especially with Bones giving a look that could kill. Hoping that his man hadn't just offended Mrs.Crater.

“Yes, Sir,” he replied, leaving the building quickly.

Jim didn’t know what possessed Darnell to say something like that and he was going to have words with the man once they got back to the ship.

“Maybe I should go too,” Jim could feel the tension in the air and it made him slightly uneasy.

“What? And let Plum examine me all alone?” Nancy objected.

“Plum?” Jim smirked at Bones evilly. He was never going to let him live this down, he could already see the dread in his friend's eyes.

“Yes, Plum,” McCoy sighed in resignation.

“A nickname I gave Len when we were little,” Nancy explained as she cradled McCoy’s face between her hands in a rather odd way in Jim's opinion.

The doctor became a little flustered before he found his voice again, “Uh, I'll wait till Mr. Crater gets back so I can get you both at once.”

Nancy smiled at him, “I’ll go get Bob. Every time he starts digging he forgets time, sleep, food, everything. Be back in a second.”

“Captain's log, supplemental. Because our mission was so routine we beamed down without suspicion. We were totally unaware that each member of the landing party was seeing a different woman, a different Nancy Crater.”

While they waited for Nancy to come back with her husband Jim looked around and waited while Bones set up his tri-corder for the exams. They waited in comfortable silence until a man walked in and Jim introduced himself and at least tried to introduce Bones, “Professor Crater. I'm Captain Jim Kirk and this is-”

“The heroic captain and the intrepid doctor cross interstellar space to preserve our health. Your sense of duty is overwhelming. Now could you please go back where you came from, and tell whoever issues your orders to leave me and my wife alone. We need additional salt against the heat. Aside from that, we're doing very well, thank you,” Mr. Crater practically yelled at them.

Jim already did not like this guy and apparently neither did Bones because he was very aggressive with his reply, “I'm glad to hear that, but I'm required to confirm that per Starfleet regulations.”

“Of course the good doctor would enjoy poking and prodding us. Go away. We don't want you,” Crater declared.

“What you want is unimportant right now,” Bones muttered loudly before speaking more clearly. “What you will get is what required.”

This time Jim decided to butt in with regulations not wanting the men to get into a full-on fight, “To quote regulation,‘All research personnel on alien planets are required to have their health certified by a starship doctor at one-year intervals.’ Like it or not, professor, as captain of a starship, I'm required-”

“To show your gold braid to everyone. You love it, don't you?” Crater mocked him.

Jim really did not like this guy.

He may be captain, but he wasn't the type to flaunt it, well not anymore, not after Khan, “He's your patient, Plum.” Bones gave him a withering glare. “I mean Dr. McCoy.”

“Sit down and breathe deeply, please,” Bones said in an authoritative voice that even made Jim follow his commands when he had to get looked over for one of his unending injuries on away missions.

Crater looked at Jim in surprise, “Did I just hear you call him Dr. McCoy?”

“You did,” Bones answered as the archeologist finally submitted to doctor's ministrations.

“McCoy,” Crater said between breaths. “I've heard Nancy talk about a Dr. McCoy.”

“That's me. Didn't she mention I was here?” Bones asked.

“You've seen Nancy?”

“She went out to get you,” Jim replied in confusion.

“You've seen her, too. You were with him?”

“Yes, why?” Now Jim was even more confused. What did it matter if he saw her?

“Nothing. I'm just happy to know she's gotten to see an old friend and has a chance to see people other than me. I, on the other hand, enjoy solitude.”

“Well, she hasn't seemed to age a day since I saw her 12 years ago. Amazing, Jim, Like she was still 25.”

It was only then that Crater seemed to remember his manners, “I'm sorry, Captain. Sit down.”

“That's alright,” Jim replied politely before sitting down.

“I'm not joking, Jim,” Bones called out to hi as the exam continued. “She hasn't aged a day. There's not a grey hair on her head.”

The affectionate look was back on his friend’s face, but he needed to break the truth to him, “She's got some grey, Bones. No offense, professor, she is a beautiful woman, but she's not 25.”

Bones looked at him in confusion before Crater interjected, “You've seen my wife with the eyes of a past lover, Doctor. I'm sure when Nancy lets — when you see her again she'll be her real age.”

Jim didn’t fail to notice the way that Crater had to correct himself in the middle of his sentence. Something about the way Crater was acting made Jim suspicious that there was something he was hiding.

“Well, still, she doesn't look a day over 30,” Bones reasoned.

The way Bones was acting was both entertaining and worrisome to Jim. He needed his friend and Chief Medical Officer to be in his right mind. He was going to step in and say something when Crater spoke first.

“Now that's genuine affection,” Crater smirked. “I'm glad you still feel it for her. She's a fine woman. Isn't she Leonard?”

“Open your mouth,” the doctor said with a tongue depressor in hand not replying to the question.

"Why? I thought the machine was capable of doing almost anything.”

“It is, but I still put my trust in a set of healthy tonsils. Now, open your mouth.”

The air was suddenly filled with a high-pitched scream. All three men shot upright. Jim was the first out of the building, phaser in hand, Bones and Crater following close behind. They followed the scream to come upon Nancy standing over Darnell's still body.

Jim moved to stand over his crewman only to see that his face was covered in strange red welts and there was something in his mouth. Carefully, he dislodged the item so he could get a better look at it, "Bones."

The doctor leaned in to check the pulse to find nothing, “He's dead, Jim. It's strange, these red marks all over his face.”

“What happened?” Jim moved over to where Mr. Crater was comforting Nancy.

“What do you think, Captain?” Crater shot back defensively. “You beamed down a crewman who wasn't smart enough to avoid foreign plants.”

Now Jim was pissed. No one insulted his crew and got away with it in his presence, “I just happened to have the best and brightest crew in the Fleet and this isn't something that would just happen. Now, I've just lost a crewman, Mrs. Crater, what happened?”

“Well, I-” she was almost hysterical.

Bones jumped in to comfort her, “Take it easy, Nancy. Just tell us what you know.”

“Well, I just-” she took several deep breaths. “I just couldn't find Bob and I was coming back. I saw your crewman and I wanted to tell him I wasn't offended by what he had said. Then I noticed a Borgia plant in his hand. Before I could say anything he took a bite of it. He fell-” Jim saw Bones looking at her skeptically and Nancy must have seen it too. “Leonard, you're looking at me like you don't believe me.”

The doctor's face shifted, “No, no, no. It's something else. Jim, we should finish their examinations later.”

“We don’t need exams. You can see that,” Crater insisted. “You should take your man-”

“I am well aware of what needs to happen, professor,” Jim replied angrily. “We'll finish your exams tomorrow.”

Jim walked away from the other three and pulled out his communicator, “Kirk to Transporter Room.”

“Transporter Room, Captain,” a technician called out.

“Lock onto us. Three to beam up.”

“Locked onto you, captain.”

“Salt,” Nancy called out suddenly. “You did ask him about salt tablets, right?”

“I'll take care of the supplies, Nancy,” Crater said.

There was something going on, Jim could feel it. But he wasn't entirely sure what it was, and he was going to figure it out.

On the _Enterprise_, Spock was doing reports in the captain's chair when Nyota came up to him with a padd in hand, "My report on the events from Talos IV, Commander."

“Thank you, Lieutenant,” Spock replied as she transferred the report over to his padd. “Were you aware of the error on your last sub-space log? In the frequency column.”

“Commander,” she replied with feigned annoyance. “Sometimes I think if I hear that word one more time I might just cry.”

“Cry?” Spock asked knowing her banter well.

“Why yes. I hear it so many times a day I think I might go crazy.”

Spock decided to answer in the most logical way he could knowing it would get a rise out of her, “I could request another communications officer if you need a break, Lieutenant.”

“You wouldn't dare.”

“It is only logical.”

“Think about replacing me and Jim will hear about your little secret,” she shot back in a whisper only his Vulcan hearing could pick up.

Spock's normally rigid demeanor grew even more stoic at the threat, “Of course, Lieutenant. As you were.”

The dark-skinned woman smirked at him one last time before walking away. Spock knew very well that Nyota was joking to a certain extent, but he still feared that she might one day reveal the extent of his feelings for Jim to the blond himself and he would never take that risk.

His thought was interrupted by a hail, “Transporter Room to Bridge. Landing party returning. They report one death.”

Spock's heart nearly stopped beating as he went to respond, “Who is the casualty?”

“Crewman Darnell,” came the response.

The Vulcan nearly sighed in relief, “Acknowledged.”

Spock took a moment to think about his fear before he gently probed the bond in the back of his mind. From it, he felt a mix of anger and confusion with an underlying thread of determination. But through it all he felt Jim, safe and alive. He should know better not to fear, he would have felt the bond snap if it was Jim who had died, but he was half-human and that part of him did not always conform to logic. At least Jim was alive.

After transporting back to the ship Jim followed Bones and Darnell’s body down to Sick Bay, hoping to get some answers. He was still confused as to what was happening, but he was also angry that something had happened under his watch. But through it all, he was determined to find an answer to all his questions As soon as they had made it back Jim had called up to the Bridge and asked Spock to check the ship’s database for information on the Borgia plant.

He waited silently in Bones’ office while the autopsy was performed and tests run. His mind going over what had happened over and over in his head, but he still couldn’t find any reason for Darnell to have attempted to eat a plant that he didn’t know what it was.

After what felt like an eternity to Jim the doctor called him back into one of the main areas of Sick Bay.

“What’s up?” Jim asked him.

“She called it a Borgia plant.”

“I've never heard of it before either,” Jim said as the comm sounded.

“Bridge to Med Bay,” Spock's voice called out.

Jim's heart sped up a little like it always did every time he heard Spock talk, "Go ahead, Mr. Spock."

Spock's face appeared on the viewscreen nearby and relayed the new information, "The Borgia plant in the ship's database declare it as a carbon group three vegetation, similar to Earth's nightshade family. Alkaloid poison. Chemical structure is common to most Class M planets. About the strange markings on his face, there is no reference to this symptom."

“Then this man wasn't poisoned,” Bones declared.

“Standby, Commander,” Jim replied as he ended the call. “She did say she saw him eat the plant.”

“Then she made a mistake,” the doctor said in return. “I know alkaloid poison and what to look for there's not a trace of it in his body.”

“I know that Darnell was smart enough not to eat anything on a planet he had never been to before, but I did find bits of the plant in his mouth.”

“Well, I am telling you for a fact that he didn't swallow any. My equipment would have picked up on it.”

“Then what killed him?”

“I don't know yet, but I will tell you that I can't find anything wrong with him. All the tests I've run say that he should just get up and walk away.”

Jim stood up and walked over to Darnell's body while Bones sat on the edge of a desk, “I want to know just as much as you do, Jim. I'll have the tests double-checked. Maybe there is something I'm missing. After all, when I first saw Nancy She looked exactly like she did 10 years ago, granted I may have been looking at her like she was my girlfriend again.”

The blond loved his friend, but they had more pressing matters to deal with than the doctor's love life, “Bones, I need you to focus. We can talk about Nancy later, but right now I need you to figure out why this man is dead.”

“You're right. I'm sorry,” the older man looked down in shame. “I'll get right on it.”

“Captain's log. Stardate 1513.4. We are still in orbit around planet M-113. One of the members of the landing party, Crewman Darnell, dead by an unknown cause. We are certain that the cause of death was not poison.”

Jim was back on the Bridge, business as usual, going on around him when Uhura called out to him from her station, “Message for you, Captain. A starship based on Current IV requesting an explanation of our delay here. Space Commander Domingues says we have supplies he urgently needs.”

He laughed knowing damn well what supplies Domingues urgently needed, “Tell Juan he'll get his chilis when we get there. Let him know that they are prime Mexican reds and that I picked them out myself. He won't die if he doesn't get them for a couple more days.”

“Yes, Captain,” Uhura chuckled as she turned to send his reply while Jim went over to Spock at the science station.

“Did everything check out?” Jim asked hoping that the Vulcan had found something.

“There is no mistake in the ship's database. I confirmed it with the Chief Science Officer of the _U.S.S Franklin_. The Borgia plant's sole deadly property is alkaloid poison,” he replied matter-of-factly.

“And the Craters?”

“Checked out perfectly. They arrived nearly five years ago, visited by various vessels, and made fairly heavy shipments of artifacts and reports. However, there has been a marked drop in shipments during the last year.”

Jim was stumped. He had hoped to find something out of the ordinary, but everything appeared normal. He was about to ask for Spock's opinion when Bones' voice came over the comms, “Sick Bay to Bridge.”

“Kirk here,” Jim called out.

“We found something.”

“What is it?”

“I'd rather tell you in person. Can you head down here?"

“Spock and I are on our way,” Jim replied before motioning to his First Officer. “Sulu, you have the conn.”

Down in Sick Bay, the three of them stood over Darnell's body to look at the scans on the screen above him. Jim may be a genius but he was pretty oblivious earn it came to medical things even after spending three years at the Academy rooming with Bones.

Spock was the first to speak, “Fascinating.”

“So improbable we almost didn't check it,” Bones said.

“What?” Jim asked knowing that one of them would explain things to him.

“Sodium chloride. Not a trace of it,” Spock explained.

“Exactly, this man has no salt in his body whatsoever,” the doctor confirmed.

“Can you explain it?” The blond hoped it would give them some type of answer. He would take anything at this point. It would tell him if it was safe for people to be on this planet and he owed it to Darnell's family to tell them what really happned to him.

“I can’t,” the older man grumbled. “But I can tell you that the 0.4% we normally carry in our bodies is all gone from his.”

“It would kill him instantly,” the Vulcan said.

“But the only marks were the red rings on his face, the skin mottling,” he tried to piece things together.

“That's what I thought, but it was a mistake on my part,” Bones shook his head.

“It's okay, Bones. We all make mistakes,” Jim patted him on the shoulder.

“I should have seen it earlier but I was too busy thinking about Nancy.”

“We all get distracted. And now that I think about it the Craters went out of their way to mention one thing they needed.”

“Salt tablets,” Bones looked at him in realization.

Jim looked over to where Spock was standing quietly. He took a moment to appreciate the Vulcan's gorgeous eyes before snapping back into reality, “Mr.Spock, outfit a landing party. We are beaming down with some questions.”

Down on the planet, Jim was reminded why he didn't like Mr.Crater. The man was one of the most confrontational people he had ever met. It was like he was trying to rile Jim up, “Someone might think you had more important duties than harassing people, Captain.”

“Oh trust me, Professor, I do. Where is Mrs.Crater?” Jim tried to keep things professional.

“Probably at one of the other dig sites. We don't keep track of our every move.”

“Green,” Jim called out to one of the men he had brought with him. “Find her.”

“Yes, Sir,” came the gold shirt's reply as he left the building.

“Kirk to _Enterprise_,” the blond pulled out his communicator.

“Spock standing by,” the Vulcan responded.

“Sturgeon, transport a sample of the plant to Commander Spock. We will check if it is actually the Borgia plant or something else we don't understand,” he told both Spock and the other man he had brought with him. “You get all that, Spock?”

“I will run a complete analysis as soon as it arrives,” he answered.

“Thank you, Mr.Spock. Kirk out.”Jim closed the communicator and looked back to Professor Crater.

“Captain, considering the inescapable fact that you are a trespasser on my planet-”

“Your complaint will be noted,” the blond replied with a sickly sweet smile, taking joy in the fact that Crater looked miffed at him. But with a sigh, he decided to level with the man. “Look, something we don't understand killed one of my people. Whatever this is could be a danger to you and Mrs.Crater.”

“We've been here for five years. If there was something hostile here we would know about it, wouldn't we?"

“Dr.McCoy, tell Mr.Crater what the autopsy revealed," Jim commanded hoping that he could get some type of reaction out of the man when he heard the results of the test and then Jim might be able to get more information out of the man and find out what he might be hiding.

“Our crewman died of salt depletion. Sudden total loss of it. Medically impossible by any standards," he explained.

“And it just so happens that you and Mrs.Crater requested salt tablets," the captain reminded the archeologist.

“And Dr.McCoy can't explain our need for salt tablets?"

“We are all aware of the need for salt tablets on a hot and barren planet, Professor," Jim answered tersely. “Now, I love exploring the unknown, but when it kills someone who puts their trust in me to keep them safe I don't like it.”

Crater left his place at Jim's side and walked over to a chest near the wall and pulled out a medium-sized container filled a fifth of the way with white tablets, “Nancy and I started out with 25 pounds of salt tablets. This is all we have left. What is so mysterious about that?”

Taking the container from Crater Jim unstopped it and poured a few of the tablets in his hand. Bones took one and tasted it, “Salt.”

Jim didn't know what he expected, but he still felt a little annoyed that his actions didn't heed any answers. Still, that didn't stop him from reminding Crater what part of being captain of the _Enterprise_ entailed, “When I became captain I swore an oath to protect life in places like this. I'm going to have to insist that you and Mrs.Crater stay on the _Enterprise_ until we find out what killed my crewman.”

“You can't do that,” Crater protested.

“Actually, I can.”

“You shouldn't. It'll interfere with our work.”

“How?” Jim asked knowing that he couldn't maintain this fight for long. “You've been here for five years, what difference will a couple of days make?”

Jim could see that he had won when the defeat shown in Crater's eyes. He stood back and pulled out his communicator again, “Kirk to _Enterprise_.”

“Spock here, Captain.”

“Have the Quartermaster arrange quarters for the Craters they are coming aboard until we can figure out what’s going on. Did you get the analysis?” Jim responded.

“The planet is in fact of the Borgia variety, Captain. It could not have caused Darnell's death.”

“Thank you, Commander. Kirk out.”

Bones looked over the younger man's shoulder, “Jim, he's gone.”

Jim and Bones immediately sprang into action and chased after the archeologist. As they ran they could hear Crater yelling, but couldn't make out what he was saying, and they called after him, following the sounds of shouting. Jim thought he caught sight of Crater hiding behind some rocks, but when they reached the spot it was Sturgeon's dead body they found, the same red marks on his face that Darnell had.

“We better find Green,” Jim said worriedly. “Green! Crewman Green, report! Could it be Crater who did this? He ran this way.”

“I don't know,” Bones replied as Jim continued calling out for Green.

For several moments nothing happened before Green came around some boulders towards them.

“Did you see this?” Jim questioned the man.

“Yes, Sir,” he responded looking somewhat tout of it in Jim’s opinion. “Sturgeon was dead when I found him. I was looking around to find whatever it is that killed him.”

“Have you seen Nancy, Mrs.Crater?” Bones asked.

“No, Sir. I checked all through the ruins.”

“I'm worried about, Jim. She's not at their quarters. She's not at the dig sites. She could be in trouble.” The fear was very evident on the older man's face. “Nancy!”

“Crater!” Jim called out again.

“Nancy, it's Leonard!” McCoy yelled louder.

“Bones, I'm beaming back to the ship.”

“Jim, you can't just leave her.”

“We can't search the whole planet on foot.”

“Jim!” McCoy yelled at him angrily.

Jim had just about had enough of his friend acting like a lovesick puppy. He still loved the man, but right now he wasn't thinking straight and Jim needed to put the man in his place, “Damn it, McCoy! I am your captain so listen to me. Take a lesson from Spock and stop thinking with your dick. With the ship's sensors, we can pinpoint the location of a match, let alone the heat of a body.” Jim angrily flipped open his communicator. “Kirk to Transporter Room. Three to beam up.”

As soon as they materialized in the Transporter Room Jim went to the comm unit on the wall, “Kirk to Bridge.”

“Spock here.”

“Fire up the ship's sensors and scan the planet I want the locations of the Craters.”

“Acknowledged.”

“We left Sturgeon's body down there,” Jim told the transporter operator.

“We'll bring him home, Sir,” the man responded.

“Bones, go get some sleep and clear you’re head,” Jim said as he turned to face the doctor.

“Okay,” the doctor relented as they left the Transporter Room

Spock went back to his station once he heard Jim’s command over the comms. He wondered why he was scanning the planet for the Craters instead of them coming aboard the Enterprise like Jim had told him they would be, but he knew that Jim would tell him what happened when he got back to the Bridge.

The sensors had only been running scans for several minutes when the blond appeared out of the turbo lift and made his way over to Spock, “Let’s go to my ready room. Chekov you have the conn.”

“Aye, Keptain,” the Russian called back to him from his position at the helm.

“Yes, Captain,” Spock replied as he followed Jim off the Bridge.

They walked together in silence the short distance from the Bridge to Jim’s ready room and each took a seat on opposite sides of the desk. Spock could see the strain in the human’s eyes and feel tension in the bond, “If I may ask, what occurred down on the planet, Captain? Why are the Craters not with you?”

Jim sighed as he visibly slumped in the chair and ran a hand through his blond tresses, “We went down there and it was only Professor Crater we found in their house. Crater was on the defensive the entire time we were down there. When I asked he where Mrs.Crater was he didn’t know, so I sent out Green to find her. That’s when I commed you the first time. Then I asked him about the need for salt tablets and he showed us that they were almost out. I told him I wanted him and Mrs.Crater to stay on the ship until we figured out what was going on and he got really angry until I pulled rank, so I commed you again. Well, while we were talking Crater ran away. Bones and I followed him and then we found Sturgeon’s dead body with the same marks on his face that Darnell had.”

“I am sorry, Jim,” Spock wanted to reach out and comfort his t’hy’la but he held back and tried to comfort him with words. “We will make sure that the cause Darnell and Sturgeon’s deaths is found.” But there was still tension on Jim’s face even with his reassurance, there must have been something else that was wrong. “Jim, did something else happen?”

“Bones got mad at me for wanting to leave the planet with Mrs. Crater still down there and I had to remind him that I was captain and that we could find her faster with the ship’s equipment. He’s like my brother and I hated to do it but I had to remind him of the fact that what I say goes,” the blond explained.

Spock knew how important the doctor was to Jim and he felt a pang of sadness in his heart at the contention between the two men. He wished that there was something that he could do to help, but he was still getting used to human emotions and didn’t know how he could help.

“I am sorry,” he said again. “Is there anything I can do to assist you?”

Jim locked eyes with him and Spock’s heart rate increased by 12.4% as the human smiled at him, “No, Spock. But thank you for asking. Bones will get over it. And then everything will be back to normal.”

“Very well, Jim,” he replied. “Perhaps you would care for a game of chess soon?”

Jim smiled again, “That sounds nice.”

Spock was about to ask about a time when Chekov’s voice called out over the commlink, “Keptain the sensors have picked up on a life form.”

Jim looked at him with a smile one last time before he stood and called back, “Thank you, Mr.Chekov. We’ll be right there.”

Their walk back to the Bridge was silent and they both went to the science station where Spock looked at the readings and then there was something odd in the scans, “Something odd, Captain. You said there were two people.”

“Mr. and Mrs.Crater,” Jim confirmed as he leaned over to look at the readings.

“I get a reading on only one person, most likely Crater,” Spock explained. “He is circling as if he is searching for something.”

“Expand the search radius.”

“Yes, Sir.”

They had been back on the Bridge for a couple of hours going about their business when Jim decided to check up on the search for Crater and his wife, but first he stopped to talk to his communications officer who looked a little ratted when she had gotten back to the Bridge on Jim’s request, “Everything alright, Uhura?”

She jolted a little at the sound of his voice, but upon seeing him she smiled, “Yeah. Just had a weird run in on my break.”

“Anything I need to worry about?”

“Nothing I couldn’t handle,” she smirked.

“Let me know if anything changes.”

“I will. Thank you, Jim,” Uhura gave him a genuine smile.

He was about to head over to Spock when the turbo lift doors opened to reveal his yeoman with a padd in hand, “Captain, I have the reports you requested.”

“Thank you, Yeoman.” Jim smiled and there was a wave of jealousy in the back of his mind for a couple of seconds before it disappeared.

“Of course, Captain. Can I ask you something, Sir?” She asked timidly.

“Sure.”

She looked down nervously before making eye contact with him, “Well, it’s just that Green was acting really strange when I saw him a little bit ago. I was just wondering if something happened while you were on the planet earlier.”

Jim didn’t want to tell her too much because she was a bit of a gossip so he decided to tell her the bare minimum, “We did have some difficulties while we were down there, but don’t worry about Green too much right now. I’m sure he’ll be back to normal in a few days.”

“Yes, Sir. Thank you, I just wasn’t sure what to make of him that was all.”

“Like I said he should be fine in a couple of days.”

“Of course. I’ll get back to work now,” she smiled at him again before leaving the Bridge.

Finally, Jim made it over to Spock, “How’s it going over here?”

“I am still only getting readings on one life form, Captain,” Spock responded cooly.

“Is there maybe something wrong with the sensors?” Jim asked already realizing how stupid of a question that was. This was the newest ship in the Fleet.

“The simple fact is that unless there is something seriously wrong with the ship's sensors there is only one person in the 100-mile area we scanned,” Spock told Jim as he stood up from his seat.

“So we triangulate on them and let Crater explain what happened to his wife,” Jim replied.

The pair made their way to the turbo lift and Jim called out, “Uhura, keep a tight fix on us. If we yell I want armed security down there immediately.”

“Yes, Captain.”

“Chekov, you have the conn.”

“Aye, Keptain.”

“Captain's log. Stardate 1513.8. I’m certain that the death of my crewmen was caused by an unknown life form. Well-armed and healthy crewmen are not killed this easily. Whatever killed them has the ability to immobilize them on approach. Maybe with some hypnotic or paralytic power. Professor Crater has the answers I need.”

Spock had beamed down with Jim this time and the Vulcan reveled in the heat of the planet. It was not often he got to experience a climate similar to that of his homeworld. It brought on a pang of longing for the place he had once called home, but he quickly pushed that away to help Jim search for Crater.

They had only been on the planet when they caught sight of the archeologist.

“Professor Crater!” Jim called after him.

“Go away, we don't want you here!” He yelled back from behind some ruins.

“We? Where's your wife? The blond asked as he inched closer. “We're worried about her.”

“I'm armed. Go away,” he brandished a phaser through a space between the rocks.

Spock's hand went instinctively to his own weapon. He would do anything to protect his t’hy’la. Even if that meant killing someone. Jim looked back at him and game a reassuring nod and moved forward.

“Where is your wife?” Jim asked again.

“She isn't your concern.”

“We're worried about her safety. Aren't you?” He yelled trying to keep the attention on himself while Spock moved to ambush him from behind.

Spock moved silently around the terrain, careful not to give away his position. All the while he listened to Jim trying to reason with the other man, “Professor, you're a reasonable person. Let me-”

The sound of the communicator chirping filled the air followed by Jim's reply, “Kirk here.”

“Casualty, Captain,” Spock's Vulcan hearing picked up. “Barnhart was found dead on Deck 9, same symptoms.”

The Vulcan could feel a wave of anger and grief from Jim at the new but didn’t let that stop him from continuing their mission. On his way around Spock came across another body. On inspection, he realized that it was Crewman Green, “Spock to Captain. I'm over through the arches to your left. You need to see this.”

Several moments later Jim appeared and came to stand over the body and Spock's kneeling form.

“Green?” The human questioned. “He beamed back to the ship with us.”

“Or something did,” Spock replied cooly.

The pair shared a concerned look as Jim called back to the ship, “Kirk to _Enterprise_.”

“Uhura here, Captain.”

“Give me Sulu.”

“Sulu here, Sir,” the helmsman answered.

“There is an intruder aboard. It could be disguised as Crewman Green. General Quarters, Security Condition 3.”

“Yes, Sir. GQ Security 3.”

They waited in silence for several minutes until Uhura's voice came over the comm again, “Reporting GQ 3, secure, Captain. Do you require assistance?”

“Crater knows the creature,” Spock cut in. “If we can take him alive he may be able to tell us something.”

“Negative, Lieutenant. But keep locked onto us. Kirk out.” Jim closed the device and turned back to Spock. “Let's get him.”

They were about to leave their place behind the arches when a phaser blast hit the center column causing it to explode and collapse. Spock had gone the opposite way from Jim and he felt dread in his heart that his human could be hurt. But as he looked over Jim appeared to be unharmed and hiding, looking for Spock. They locked eyes and Spock felt a flood of relief in the bond and he wasn't sure if it was from himself or Jim.

The blond nodded at him before moving forward to another rock and looked over to Crater who was shouting at them, “Go away! We don't want you here! We are happy alone! I'll kill to stay alone! Do you hear that Kirk? Or you'll have to kill me! I don't care either way!”

Spock crawled his way over to Jim, “I foresee complications in taking him alive.”

“He's not trying to kill us. He's trying to scare us, and he's doing a pretty good job. Keep your phaser on stun. You go left, I'll go right, we'll try to catch him that way.”

After their discussion Sock went to circle around Crater again while Jim was running and crawling his way through the landscape of sand and ancient ruins, trying to stay out of Crater’s line of sight.

He had just gotten a good line of sight on the older man when Spock commed him, “Spock to Captain. I am in position.”

“Acknowledged,” Jim replied it was time to get Crater’s attention. “Crater!”

The archeologist sprung up to try and fire at him and at the exact same moment Spock fired and the man dropped to the ground, stunned.

Jim and Spock sprinted over to the man’s slumped form and started to question him, “Where is your wife, Professor?” Crater said nothing so Jim asked again. “Where is she?”

Crater sighed and finally answered, “She was the last of her kind.”

The Starfleet officers shared a confused look before Jim asked, “The last of her kind?”

“The last of its kind,” he confirmed. “Like the buffalo from Earth’s history. I feel weird.”

“You’re just stunned. You’ll feel better in a second.”

“What about the earth Buffalo?” Spock questioned.

“There were once millions of them,” Crater explained. 

“And now they are gone. Is that what you mean?” The Vulcan continued.

Crater nodded, “Like the creatures here. There used to be millions of them and now there is only one left. Nancy understood.”

“Always in the past tense,” Spock declared.

Jim didn’t like where this was going. The past tense meant that something had happened Nancy at some point and Jim didn’t want to have to break the bad news to one of his best friends. He needed to figure out what was going on here and Crater not giving him the answers he asked for right off the back was starting to annoy the blond to no end, “Where is your wife?”

“Dead,” Crater said. “Buried up on the hill. It killed her.”

“When?”

“A year ago. Or was it two?”

Jim gave Spock another concerned look before hailing the ship, “Kirk to _Enterprise_.”

“Yes, Captain,” Uhura replied.

“It’s confirmed, Uhura. Tell the others that the intruder can take any shape; crewmen, you, me, anybody, do you understand?”

“Affirmative, Captain,” Sulu confirmed.

“Go to GQ 4.”

“General Quarters 4, Captain.”

“The creature was only trying to survive,” Crater said as Jim went to hail the transporter control. “It has the right, doesn’t it?”

“Kirk to Transporter Room. Three to beam up.”

“They need salt to stay alive. There was no more salt. It’s the last one, the buffalo. There’s no difference.”

“Actually, there is,” Jim replied angrily. “Your creature is killing my people.”

“Captain’s log. Continuing. The Enterprise has been invaded by a creature that can take any form, with the ability to paralyze and take the life from anyone.”

Jim, Spock, Uhura, Bones, and Rand sat in the briefing room with Professor Crater while Scotty, Sulu, and Chekov manned the Bridge. But what Jim was concerned about his friend who had just learned that the woman he loved was dead. There was a far off stare in the doctor’s eyes and he didn’t seem like the Bones that Jim knew.

“I don’t know what to say, Captain,” Nyota said bringing Jim back Ito the conversation. “I checked every face on this ship. It wasn’t one of the crew I saw.”

“Yeoman, how long was the copy of Green with you?” Jim asked her.

“As long as he - it thought that it could get the salt on my tray, Sir,” she responded.

“Mr.Spock?” The blond asked for an update.

“Supplies of salt have been set out as bait on all decks and engineering levels, Captain,” Spock answered. “However, no one or no thing has approached them.”

“Dr.McCoy?”

“Yes?” Bones replied in a daze.

“Your recommendation, Doctor.”

“Oh, uh, we could just offer it salt,” it suggested. “It doesn’t have a reason to attack us.”

“Your suggestion is laudable, Doctor,” Spock cut in. “But your reasoning is reckless.”

“The creature is not dangerous when it is fed,” Crater said.

“It’s just trying to survive,” Bones to reason with them. “It is using it’s natural ability to take other’s forms.”

“The way chameleons use their protective coloring, an ability like how our muscles were meant for running. It uses its ability as we use ours,” the archeologist added.

“It’s just like us. It’s an intelligent animal,” McCoy continued. “There’s no need to hunt it down.”

“Interesting hypothesis,” the Vulcan replied.

Jim could definitely see there was something off with his friend but he didn’t want to say anything in front of the others, especially Crater. And then there was the fact that what the doctor and the professor were saying had some merit. But there was the safety issue he had to take into account. Part of him wanted to try and reason with the creature, as per the fundamental ideas of Starfleet and the Federation, yet it kept killing people and he was sworn to protect life.

His thought were interrupted by Scotty on the room’s viewscreen, “Bridge to Briefing Room.”

“Yes, Mr.Scott,” Spock answered.

“All the halls are sealed off. All weapons accounted for and locked away. Security 4 in effect on every level. Still, no leads on the intruder.”

“Thanks, Scotty,” Jim called out from the other side of the table. “Continue the search.” The viewscreen went dark. “Crater, we don’t know who or what we’re looking for. We need you to help now.”

Crater looked at him in annoyance, “I told you, even begged you to leave my planet.”

“Can you recognize this thing when you see it?” Out of the corner of his eye, Jim saw a fearful look on Bones’ face and he was really starting to feel concerned. “I’ll drop the charges against you until this point. But this creature is on my ship, and I’ll catch it or have you tried or both. Now, where is it?”

“I loved Nancy very much. There aren’t many women like her. She lives in my dreams. She walks and sings in my dreams.”

“And _it _turns into Nancy for you?” Jim surmised.

“It needs love as much as it needs salt. When it killed Nancy, I almost destroyed it, but it isn’t just a beast. It’s intelligent and the last of its kind.”

“You’re attached to it,” Jim stood up and circled the table towards Crater. “It’s everything to you.”

“You don’t understand.”

“Do you know how to see it in whatever for it takes?”

“Yes.”

“Are you going to help us find it?” Jim was really starting to get angry now.

“Sorry, I can’t.”

Jim looked to Spock hoping that his First Officer had a suggestion, “I recommend using atruth serum, Captain.”

“Bones,” the blond turned to his friend.

“While I hate using it I can understand that it’s needed,” Bones replied reluctantly.

“Take him.”

The doctor went to do as he was told when Spock said that he was going to accompany them. With it decided everyone left the room to go their separate ways to perform their tasks.

Jim was on his way back to the Bridge with Uhura to relieve Scotty when the alarm sounded, “Captain Kirk to Medical Bay. Captain Kirk to Medical Bay.”

The human sprinted down the corridors and waited impatiently in the turbo lift until he was deposited near his destination, alarms sounding the entire time. And when Jim got there the sight of Spock on a biobed made his heart stop.

“It wasn’t McCoy,” Spock called out in a gravely voice. It caused a rush of arousal to Jim’s groin until he pushed it away and focused on what was really happening. He knew there was something wrong with Bones and he was right. It wasn’t actually his friend. Then Spock continued talking. “It was the creature. It hit me. Crater grabbed my phaser. I was wondering about McCoy’s odd behavior and doubt crossed my mind.”

The blond turned and saw Crater dead on the ground and wondered why it hadn't killed Spock as much as the thought pained him, “Why didn’t it kill you?”

“My Vulcan physiology is different for that of humans, fortunately,” he answered.

For that Jim was incredibly grateful.

Jim ran into the hallway and saw Hendorff standing there guarding the entrance to Sick Bay, “Did you see where McCoy went?”

“I think he was going back to his quarters, Sir,” the lieutenant replied.

“Give me your phaser,” the blond commanded.

As soon as the device was in his hands he sprinted toward the turbo lift and told it to take him to the deck that housed the officers quarters. Jim sprinted out of the lift and down the hall until he came to stand in front of his friend’s quarters. The door opened and he saw that the creature had taken the form of Nancy crater once again, and was clinging to Bones like its life depended on it.

“Get out of the way, Bones,” Jim told the older man.

“What’s going on, Jim?” McCoy asked moving in front of ‘Nancy.’

“She’s not Nancy, Bones.”

“Are you insane?” The doctor asked, staring at the phaser directed at the creature.

“It killed four crewmen and Crater. It tried to kill Spock.”

“It?”

“The creature, it’s behind you disguised as Nancy. That’s not really your old girlfriend. It needs salt to live. That’s why it killed Darnell, Sturgeon, Green, Barnhart, and Crater. Now, move, Bones.”

“No!”

Putting out a hand filled with salt Jim moved forward, “I bet it needs more. Don’t you, Nancy?” The creature stood up to move closer, but McCoy blocked its path. “Come and get it.”

“You’re scaring her,” the doctor yelled.

“That’s not fear I see. Look at her, she’s hungry.”

“Leonard, if you love me make him leave,” it said.

“You want this, don’t you, Nancy?” Jim goaded. “Come and get it. Bones, move. I can’t fire.”

“Jim, stop it,” the doctor said harshly.

“McCoy move!”

McCoy grabbed for the phaser causing Jim to drop the salt. The creature dived for the scattered tablets. As the pair struggled for control Jim tried not to hurt his friend. Jim managed to shove the older man toward the door, but the doctor had managed to get the phaser. The creature saw an opening and went for Jim, its fingers splayed across his face, draining the salt from his body. Pain coursed through the captain’s body as he felt the life draining out of his body.

Jim could see Spock as he entered the room out of the corner of his eye yelling at the older man, “It’s killing, Jim! Kill it!”

“No. No,” the doctor was fighting himself Jim could tell. The woman he loved or his best friend who was being killed.

The Vulcan pulled the creature off of Jim and began to hit it with all of his strength, “If it was Nancy could she handle this?”

“Stop it, Spock! Stop it!” Bones yelled.

Jim watched as he sat there paralyzed the creature threw one hit at Spock and he flew backward into the wall. Spock collapsed on the ground and asked McCoy, “Is that Nancy, Doctor?”

“No,” McCoy said as the creature went back to a paralyzed Jim.

The image of Nancy morphed into a green creature with mottled skin and matted grey fur. Protruding mouth filled with razor-sharp teeth. Long suction-cupped fingers moving back to the blond’s face.

Jim screamed and Bones finally fired the phaser, killing the creature.

“I’m sorry, Bones,” Jim murmured.

“Ready to leave orbit, Captain,” Sulu called from the helm.

Spock could see and feel through the bond that Jim was lost in his thoughts so he went up to him, “Something wrong, Jim?”

“I was actually thinking about the buffalo,” Jim gave him a wry smile.

“Indeed,” Spock raised an eyebrow at him.

“It was a silly thought anyway. Are you still up for a game of chess?”

“Affirmative.”

“How does after alpha shift sound? We can have dinner too.”

“That would be acceptable, Jim,” Spock gave him a small half-smile.

His words had pleased Jim immensely because the bond flared to life with happiness and love. The second emotion made Spock’s heartbeat increase by 50%. He had felt affection through the bond before and perhaps even small amounts of love before, but never this intensely. It was something he wanted to feel and remember for the rest of his life.

“Perfect.” Jim beamed at him before looking back to the viewscreen, “Set course for Current IV. Warp one.”

“Course laid in,” Chekov called out.

“Warp one, Sir. Leaving orbit,” Sulu replied.


End file.
